|
Elite League B Fixture : Monday 6th September 2010
|
The Hammers saw their play-off aspirations nose dive as Peterborough produced a powerful display to run out comfortable victors in Essex and take all four Elite League points.
The home side fell behind as early as the third race and never recovered with the Panthers arguably faster from the starting gate and showing superior speed compared to the home side. Despite missing the injured Jonas Davidsson, hopes were high within the home camp that they could do enough to book their place in the play-off semi finals. Sadly it was not to be as whilst Peterborough pulled off their victory here at the Arena Raceway, Coventry were claiming four league points up at Belle Vue to pull within just two points of the Hammers as the evening drew to a close.
The home team only really had Lee Richardson (11 points), Peter Ljung (paid nine) and a superb showing from reserve Chris Neath (paid fourteen points) to offer any real resistance to their rivals who were worthy winners.
The first few heats were mainly from the gate although Ljung did produce a good move to burst past Krzysztof Buczkowski in the opening race. Buczkowski featured again in heat five when he withstood some considerable pressure from Kauko Nieminen during the run in to the chequered flag.
Richardson and Ljung produced a superb 5-1 in the very next race, forcing their way past the fast trapping Troy Batchelor in successive laps to pull their side to within four points. Any hoped for momentum didn't follow, though, as Shields appeared to slow crossing the line in heat seven as a swooping Niels-Kristian Iversen stole third place on the line.
The disappointment quickly turned to jubilation as Ljung teamed up with Neath for a 5-1 in heat eight - but this was to prove the last heat advantage that the Hammers would register as the Panthers won six of the last seven races to assume control of the fixture.
The first 5-1 came through the Bjerre/Buczkowski combination as they raced ahead of Shields and Stuart Robson following on from an Iversen 4-2 with Rory Schlein over the chasing Richardson. It was to give the Panthers a lead they would not surrender and one that, through another Iversen win in heat fourteen, ensured they would be heading into the play-off semis.
All eyes now turn to Coventry's fixture at home to Poole on Thursday evening as the Hammers await their fate. At the end of this particular evening, though, they graciously admitted to having little complaint at having been beaten by the better team on the night.
 Related Link: Hammers given a masterclass : Match Stats
| 
